The School of Dentistry (SOD) at Case Western Reserve University will establish a sophisticated planning process, resulting in a plan to provide improved research infrastructure. This plan's accomplishment will enable the SOD to maximize its research potential as part of a leading research institution. Institutional Planning and External Advisory Committees, with the assistance of three Working Groups and a strategic planning consultant, will identify areas of research focus to be developed or strengthened. They will design a process to create a critical mass of researchers, develop plans to recruit, integrate, mentor and support junior scientists and established investigators and assess the need for modern research equipment. The School's current research portfolio includes efforts in Oral Microbiology/Immunology, Craniofacial Biology, and Oral Health Services research. The School's ongoing improvement program includes a recent facilities upgrade, external review, faculty development initiatives, strategic affiliations, and a research fellowship program. This effort has prepared the School to engage in the proposed sophisticated planning activity. Success at the end of the three-year in a structure improvement process will be the School's ability to obtain research grants from the NIH and other external entities to support nationally recognized basic and applied research programs.